The manufactured housing industry has undergone a significant evolution in the past two decades. Initially the housing units were constructed using techniques previously employed for mobile homes: small structural frame members covered with a skin of sheet metallic material. The entire unit was wrapped with the skin material and then window openings were cut out to receive window units. These window units had mounting flanges extending around the edges, with these flanges receiving screws for fastening the frames into the structural members. The back surface of the flange normally carried a compound to seal against the building skin. (This structure is illustrated in FIG. 1A).
Although the metal skin construction is continued in use on very low-end economy manufactured housing units, a more decorative and sturdy construction began in about 1985. This improved design utilizes more of the construction techniques of "stick-built" housing in that walls are thicker, and the exterior surface is covered with lap-type siding made of aluminum or vinyl. The principal manufacturers of windows and siding are either the manufacturers of window frames (e.g., Reynolds Aluminum, Mastic, Certainteed, Alcoa, Wolverine.) or are closely related such that the window frames used previously were continued into these newer styles. Thus, window frames with conventional flanges are utilized, with suitable fasteners (screws, staples, etc.) penetrating the mounting flange into the building frame. This use of the same window frame existed even though other window frames had been patented over a several year period. Some of these patents include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,326,549; 2,454,523; 2,733,787; 2,770,335; 2,912,078; 3,239,976; 3,416,271; 3,583,114; 4,280,309; 4,299,060; 4,413,446 and 4,624,091. Other patents that may be pertinent are German Patents 1,960,024 and 2,539,363.
The manufacturers of the homes with lap siding were faced with the problem of encasing the ends of the vinyl/aluminum lap siding to exclude rain. Also, there is often small misalignment of ends of the siding since the pieces are cut from strips, and both vinyl and aluminum expand and contract significantly under extremes of temperature. The solution utilized by these manufacturers to the enclosure of the ends to meet the requirements was a separate "J-rail" or "J-channel" element attached to the building frame with suitable fasteners. The J-rail has a fastening flange for attachment to the building, an outwardly projecting portion to cover the siding ends, and a return portion to contact the outer surface of the lap siding so that the ends are enclosed even during contraction of the siding. In some embodiments this element is abutted to the outer edge of flange of the window frame (see FIG. 1B); and in other embodiments, this element overlaps the flange to hide the flange fasteners (see FIG. 1C). These embodiments of dealing with covering siding ends were "state of the art" at the time of the present invention. Such construction is illustrated in "Rigid Vinyl Siding Application Instructions" a currently-available document published by the Vinyl Siding Institute, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., New York, N.Y. In addition, this separate J-rail construction is shown as state-of-the-art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,800 issued Sep. 2, 1986.
Although the J-rail element satisfactorily seals the ends of the lap siding, there are certain drawbacks. For example, there are occasionally color differences between the material of the window frame and that of the J-Rail. There is also a problem that there is separate material that must be carried to (or stored at) a site of fabrication. The main problem is the extra time that is required for its installation-measuring, cutting and fastening of separate pieces. As described in the above-referenced publication, the side J-rail members are cut longer than the height of the window and are notched at the top. Then the free end of the top J-rail flange is mitered at each end, and bent at 90.degree. to fit over the side members. In some installations, a special J-rail configured corner unit is utilized (see above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,800). Unless significant care is taken during the cutting, bending and fastening of the J-rail, gaps can occur such that the finished product is less than aesthetically attractive. Caulking is recommended around the window frames prior to this installation of the J-rail units. As stated above, the window frames for these constructions are substantially the same as in earlier manufactured homes (and for retrofit installation) with a nailing flange near the outer portion of the unit. Thus, although the other structural portions of manufactured homes have changed, the window manufacturers apparently did not consider other known windows to be of use for this type of siding. Accordingly, they have not varied the window frames significantly to match the other building fabrication changes.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a window frame that does not require the utilization of a separate J-rail for enclosing ends of lap siding.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a J-rail construction in an integral combination with a support for at least one window wherein there is a color match.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a window frame construction that significantly simplifies the installation of windows into housing units with a saving of materials and labor.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a window frame construction that is very functional, and is aesthetically attractive to the viewer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal window frame for use in manufactured housing that increases the speed of fabrication by significantly reducing the labor of installing windows in this type of housing.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon a consideration of the appended drawings and a complete description thereof that follows.